Ecosystems - Change and Challenge

[Victoria Ellis]

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[Vic]

Modifications look great. This site is definitely a life saver, a new KS3, GCSE and A-level
(+ new school) is a lot to digest, especially when you don't get an awful lot to go on from the spec! So admittedly I'm flying by the seat of my pants a bit at the moment, hopefully it is starting to get a bit easier though!

[marie roe]

Biodiversity- willl add more resources when I can over half term.

[David Vincent]

This is great - I had just done a lesson on this (which was not as good) so have filed this for next year. Did find this nice story and video clip on the BBC site about 'Ark' like seed bank to preserve biodiversity. Nice starter.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8305456.stm

[Vic]

Hi everyone,

Hope you are well rested after your half term (already seems like a dim and distant memory).
Attached is my effort so far on biodiversity, little worried the research question may be a little broad but will see how it goes.

The powerpoint has a couple of slides tagged on the end about fragile environments, I was just wondering what peoples thoughts on this section were? I was thinking of using the section from Nelson (Serengeti and Amazonia) and setting the students of on a research based project using the orange activity boxes.

Vic

[David Vincent]

I am using the Amzonia section from Nelson, but I am squeezed for time so was wondering about duplicating a case-study. I was wondering about going over the heather moorland not from a succession and plagioclimax angle but as a fragile environment. The video I got from the moorlands association gave some general points about them and it will save them learning something else? What do people think.

[Mark OLLIS]

Not in school tomorrow as on CA GCSE training but found a couple of bits on fragile environments [ESAs]. They were in the photocopy pack I think the red Landmark geography one [maybe Geograpahy In Focus]. I'll have a look and upload if appropriate Tues.

[Catherine Hardman]

I'd also thought about this. We visited a lowland heath area a couple of weeks ago and the Ranger there gave the students a really interesting talk about the management of the Heath, invasive species and what a fragile (and threatened) ecosoytem it was. I can try and put together some of the notes that he gave us if you like? It was Lindow Common in Cheshire.
The doubling up of Case Studies makes sense!
The Offwell Site has proved to be very popular with the students.
http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/heathlan.htm
http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/lowland.htm

[Vic]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all your replies ...... definitely like the idea of doubling up on case study examples. Catherine - if there were any particular points that you could jot down that would be great (but please please don't make extra work). We are quite close to the Yorkshire Dales and Moors so you've got me thinking about a possible field trip for next year! Thanks for the website recommendations.

[Catherine Hardman]

No problems at all Vic. These are the notes that i used in my lesson. the second attachment are Hw style qu's.